Toys for Tots

The last 2 Wednesday's I have helped with the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots. It was so much fun. The first Wednesday we did nothing but take people's applications so that they could get toys. It isn't hard to qualify for the toys, all you have to do is bring the appropriate paper work. Which come to think of it even if you didn't you still got toys! That is what is so great about this program. As long as you aren't driving up in a Lexus or something like that you will get toys! That day we started at 7 am and didn't end until about 7 pm. We took over 2000 applications. And each application usually had more than one child on it. That is a lot of children.

Today was distribution day! Today all the families got to come and pick up all their toys. You would expect this to be a really good day. To be able to help some one give their child a good Christmas. And for the most part it was. There were just a few things that could have gone better. One lady was mad because I couldn't find her application she got all mad and was hitting her husband. He kept telling her to stop so I kind of wondered if we were going to have to call the cops. But luckily one of the Marines that was there and in charge got her to calm down and realize that it wasn't that big of a deal she was still going to get toys.

Then not even an hour later. The ware house we are in in packed with people. When all of the sudden an older lady falls and starts seizing. I was the first one to get to her and know what to do. So needless to say we had to call the paramedics and send her to the hospital. While I was taking care of her, the Marines cleared the building. But then it decided to start pouring, and I do mean pouring, on the hundred or so people having to stand outside. But finally the paramedics got her off to the hospital, and everyone could come back in.

Well, this all happened early in the morning so the rest of the day went by with out any more big problems. Until the last 10 minutes! I am exhausted and my friend Whitney who is 33 weeks pregnant is exhausted, we are ready to go home. Then this guy walks in. He asks if he can sign up to get some toys. I asked if he had an application. He told me no, so I told him like I had told everyone else that day who didn't have an application, that we couldn't give him toys. Well he got mad, really mad. And he wasn't taking NO for an answer. At this point I am getting a little nervous. Because this guys is getting madder with every time I say no. But that is all I can say. And of course all the Marines are in the back cleaning up so it is just me and the pregnant lady. So she asks me if I want her to go get some one. Of course I said yes. So the guy in charge comes out, and tells the guy no, just like I did. And he turned around a left. Can you believe it! I am not intimidating. I have to admit I was kind of offended. I want to be that intimidating. Oh well.

As you can tell it was an interesting 2 days. But I had so much fun. And wouldn't have changed it for the world. It was nice to help people this Christmas.